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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: intellectual disability

March 2020
Illustration shows classroom scene with adults learning about relationships and sex.

Why adults with autism need sex education

by  /  13 March 2020

Too few students with autism or intellectual disabilities have sex education. That omission may prevent them from forming fulfilling romantic relationships, and it may make them targets of abuse.

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MRI scans of a child's brain with DDX3X mutation

Newly identified mutations clarify gene’s link to autism, intellectual disability

by  /  12 March 2020

Researchers have cataloged more than 100 mutations in DDX3X, a candidate gene for autism.

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Brain scans showing differences between those with TBR1 mutations and controls.

Mutations in top autism gene linked to changes in brain structure

by  /  4 March 2020

People with mutations in a gene called TBR1 have unusual features in several brain regions, along with autism traits and developmental delay.

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February 2020
Toddler is balancing with help from mom

Little-known gene tied to autism, developmental delay

by  /  28 February 2020

Rare mutations in a gene called BAZ2B are associated with various conditions of brain development, including autism.

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Young boy biting his fingernails, looking anxiously out the window.

Long-term study tracks persistence of self-harm in autistic people

by  /  21 February 2020

Autistic people who are hyperactive or have difficulty controlling their own impulses are the most likely to show ongoing self-injury.

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January 2020
Brain MRIs showing injured blood vessels

Study ties gene active in developing brain to autism

by  /  6 January 2020

Mutations in a gene called ZNF292 lead to a variety of developmental conditions, including autism and intellectual disability.

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December 2019
Illustration of a storefront with stem cell treatments

In case you missed them: Spectrum’s standout stories from 2019

by  /  23 December 2019

Here are seven Spectrum stories from this year that deserve a close look.

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variants across the genome are shown in a wheel shaped visualization

New database catalogs variants in autism genes

by  /  13 December 2019

A new database cross-checks study participants to avoid double-counting variants linked to autism genes.

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A woman's eye is scattered with light, tracking eye movement

Studies of gaze could improve diagnosis, treatment of autism

by  /  10 December 2019

Understanding how gaze differs in autistic people may help improve their lives.

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November 2019

Mutations in emerging autism gene tied to distinct traits

by  /  27 November 2019

People who have mutations in a gene called PHF21A tend to have a constellation of traits and conditions, including autism.

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